Fire blazed on the oil pipeline from Iraq's northern oilfields Friday after what residents said were twin bomb attacks targeting exports through Turkey.

Two separate fires on the pipeline, 15 kilometres from the key refinery town of Baiji, were seen close to the main highway between Baghdad and the northern regional capital of Mosul.

Despite strong denials by an American military spokesman in Baghdad, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul confirmed that the blasts were the result of hostile action. "Unfortunately there was sabotage there," Gul said, adding: "We haven't yet had a report as to the size and dimensions of the problem." (Albawaba.com)